DAQ -1 Back End Software

Experience

• Last december: brief trial of the OKS database tools.
• OKS editors are somewhat cumbersome to use, but recent developments include a new ``partition editor'' using Data Access Library.
• No work yet done on defining L1Calo database - this will be a significant task.
• Recently tried most other core components from CDROM and via AFS.
• Message Reporting System (MRS): very easy to send error messages. Also simple to receive them (dedicated error message server is also provided). Didnt try filtering messages.
• Information Server (IS): simple dynamic database (dictionary) for run time exchange of data between processes. Easy to publish and query information. Process must implement a CORBA server to receive notification of updates. NB the IS data is persistent.
• Run Control (RC): a more substantial component. All tutorial examples tried (mostly successfully - after a little help). Noddy run controller built from the skeleton.
• Process Manager (PMG): not yet tried - but looks OK...
• Integrated GUI (IGUI): works - but still needs a startup script. To be useful to us, it probably needs the capability for us to customise it. Plan is to provide a Java Bean API - but this is not yet implemented.